photo by samara sinclair proud as a...

1

June 30, 2013

Photo by Samara Sinclair

Proud as a peacock

Carewest Colonel Belcher residents Sam Goodman, left, Gerald Hey, Olly Goat and Yvette McHugh and their family members and guardians take a day trip to the Calgary Zoo and are rewarded by a colourful display from a friendly and

curious male peacock. The term “peacock” is commonly used to refer to birds of both sexes, but only the males are peacocks – the females are peahens. Together, they are called peafowl and a group of peafowl is a “party” or a “pride”,

reinforcing the idea that this is indeed a proud species.

2

This month in Carewrite

3.....Nominate a deserving co-worker

4.....Presentation creates buzz

4.....Seniors’ Week June 3-9

5.....Carewest – where kindness is celebrated

7.....Most frequently asked questions about parking

8.....Infection Control Resource Nurse Program

9…..Falls feature: Respond and report/ investigate

11...Joan Stregger retires

11...Kindness board inspires

12…Food Services update

12...Change is on the menu at Food Services

14…Fanning Fashion Show Collage

14…Manager expresses appreciation for staff at Carewest Rouleau Manor

14…Bird feeder or deer feeder?

15…Employee Profile: Marcela Tongpalen

17...Our residents’ stories: Nashira Keshavjee

20…Lighthearted exercise, art display and Father’s Day shimmy

Next issue

Carewrite is not published during

the summer months of July and August. Next submission deadline: September 5

Publishing date: September 30

Submissions are welcome from everyone… Staff, residents/clients and their families,

volunteers, students, etc. Please see the back cover for details.


Carewest celebrates Staff Appreciation Week

Clinical Support Coordinator Evelyn Graupner, left, foreground, Resident Attendant Erlisa Pacubat and RN

Alma Tindaan show off their new wellness packages given to them during the Carewest Staff Appreciation Week Jun

10-16. Client Service Manager Paul Charlton gives a package to Physical Therapist Karen Robinson, background. The wellness packages included the tote bag, water bottle,

healthy snacks and information about Carewest’s Corporate Retail Partnerships. The Carewest Staff

Appreciation Week is an acknowledgement and celebration for the work that all employees do every day in support of

residents, clients, their families and other staff.

Reminder about massage benefits Ruth Zwolinski Manager, Compensation & Benefits

This is a reminder that beginning Aug. 1, 2013,

Alberta Blue Cross will require massage therapists to meet

either 2,200 hours of formal education or a 2,200-hour

competency equivalency to be eligible under your plan.

Ask your massage therapist if he/she is an Alberta Blue

Cross approved provider or call Alberta Blue Cross

Customer Services at 1-800-661-6995 to confirm your

provider meets your requirements.

3

Nominate a deserving co-worker Kelly Baskerville Site Manager, Carewest Sarcee

Carewest is known for innovative care and has built

this reputation over many years during times of

growth and change. This would never be possible

without the dedication, creativity and clinical

excellence of many members of our team. Many

Carewest staff are known in our city, zone, province

and even nationally as experts in their field.

So how do we help perpetuate this reputation? We

depend on each other to recognize great work when

we see it!

Coleen Manning, Manager, Clinical Standards &

Nursing Practice, and Sheila Gaela, RN, Carewest

Glenmore Park, were nominated for the annual

College and Association of Registered Nurses of

Alberta (CARNA) Awards of Nursing Excellence

this year. Like many nominees, they both expressed

great appreciation for the support and time taken by

colleagues to have them publicly recognized.

CARNA has several categories of Excellence –

Clinical Practice, Education, Administration,

Research, Lifetime Achievement, and even the

Rising Star award for recent graduates.

Many other organizations offer the opportunity to

nominate a co-worker for professional excellence

and outstanding abilities.

Did you know that Carewest Educator and

Registered Nurse, Stephanie Keys, was recognized

by the CLPNA in 2012 with the Interprofessional

Development Award? Many professional

organizations have categories that include other

interdisciplinary team members.

An observation made by staff who have written and

submitted nominations is that nominations take time

and some need the consent and input from the

person being nominated.

Continued on Page 4.

There are so many places to find information on awards and recognition programs. Here are a couple of websites to get you started:

www.clpna.com (under conferences and events heading)

www.carnaawards.ca

www.physiotherapyalberta.ca

www.rehabilitation.ualberta.ca/ARA

www.dietitians.ca/About-Us/Corporate-Opportunities/Award-Recognition-Programs

www.volunteercalgary.ab.ca/programs/ leadership_awards.aspx

pharmacists.ab.ca/nAboutACP/ APEXAwards.aspx

Photos courtesy of Kelly Baskerville

(Top) Manager, Clinical Standards & Nursing Practice Coleen Manning (fourth from left) was

recognized for her nomination at the College and Association of Registered Nurses of

Alberta (CARNA) Awards of Nursing Excellence. Sheila Gaela (not pictured), RN at Carewest

Glenmore Park, was also nominated.

http://www.clpna.com/

http://www.carnaawards.ca/

http://www.physiotherapyalberta.ca/

https://pharmacists.ab.ca/nAboutACP/%0bAPEXAwards.aspx

https://pharmacists.ab.ca/nAboutACP/%0bAPEXAwards.aspx

4

Photo courtesy of Irma Tamminen

Yaro Kiselev, Angela Vancoughnett and Irma Tamminen delivered a popular presentation at

the Canadian Society for Training and Development symposium.

Nominate a deserving co-worker Continued from Page 3.

A common comment is that it would have been

helpful to have someone experienced with the

process to guide them through it, so they could

better understand what is needed and how to write a

great nomination.

Talk to your co-workers, speak with your supervisor

– many have participated in nominations and can

help you.

When you know that you work with someone amazing, take the time to make it known. It sometimes makes the difference when you know your work matters and you feel appreciated by your team.

We work together, we depend on each other and we

cannot provide any service alone. So take the time

to recognize the amazing people around you!

Presentation creates buzz Irma Tamminen Manager, Education Services

Have you ever been really excited to implement

something you learned at a workshop or conference,

but never quite followed through? What were some

of the barriers that prevented you from

implementing it?

These were some of the questions Angela

Vancoughnett, Yaro Kiselev and Irma Tamminen

asked in their presentation “Putting Learning into

Action” at the Canadian Society for Training and

Development (CSTD) regional symposium on May

30, which received a lot of positive feedback from

the participants. The symposium participants came

from all across Canada with one focus in mind –

how to make training more effective and efficient.

The participants who attended the session

commented that we were, “not trying to sell them

anything but rather focusing on successful training”

and were amazed how much was done using very

few resources. This apparently was the session

people talked about throughout the day and during

dinner on the evening of the presentation.

This same presentation has been accepted for

the CSTD national conference in Toronto in

November 2013. Education Services has made

Carewest proud in the field of training and

development.


Seniors Week June 3-9 Les McKee, resident at Carewest Colonel Belcher

listens over tea to Client Service Manager Margaret Usherwood as she brings greetings to the seniors from government to commemorate

Seniors Week from June 3-9, 2013.

5


It’s easy, being kind! Linda Larg, Manager, Employee & Volunteer Recruitment, left, Carol Dallaire, Administrative Assistant, HR &

Facilities, and Cindy Kinver, Recruiter, hold up corkboards covered with Random Acts of Kindness cards from staff in that portfolio.

Carewest – where kindness is celebrated Health Promotion Month kindness initiative a huge hit!

Samara Sinclair Manager, Communications

Random Act of Kindness cards came

pouring in after the Kindness to Oneself

quarter, during which staff were urged to

be kind to themselves and the people

around them over a three-month period and

to document their actions.

Initiated during this year’s Health

Promotion Month in March, the theme of

which was “Working Towards Wellness –

It Starts With You”, everyone was

encouraged to take action on their own

health and to be kind to themselves and the

people around them.

“Kindness to oneself and everyone else has

a ripple effect,” says Roxanne McKendry,

Manager, Employee Health & Safety and

IP&C.

“Just reading through some of the

submissions was very heart-warming – to know these

acts of kindness go on every single day, and we just

have to take note of it and celebrate it,” she says.

The initiative blossomed from a Management Day,

where managers across the organization came together

and were given The Business of Kindness book and

encouraged to bring a little kindness into their

everyday lives.

The concept spread across the organization as part of

Health Promotion Month, when managers were sent

the Random Act of Kindness cards and pins and

encouraged to share them with their staff.

“Some have really embraced the initiative,” says

Roxanne.

“In July, we’ll be starting the next portion, which is Kindness to Colleagues and right now we’re getting cards printed up and posters. The last segment will be Kindness in the Community.”

If you need more Random Acts of Kindness cards,

please contact Employee Health & Safety.

Staff were encouraged to document and submit their acts of kindness…

We received piles of submissions. Here were a few of

our favourites. Some were written by the kindness do-

er and some were written by others who observed the

acts of kindness being done.

Shelley Cogbill took care of a four-day-old kitten

and brought him into work. She showed “Charlie”

to the residents and brightened their day.

Pearl Lautermilch’s kindness and time spent

with Garrison Green residents is truly appreciated.

The so many “little extra” things that you do,

sincerely improves the quality of life for our

residents. Well done, Pearl! Continued on Page 6.

6

Love, Debbie

LPN Debbie del Rosairo wrote cards about her fellow colleagues at Carewest Nickle House and signed each one “Love, Debbie”. Since I became an LPN at Nickle House, I noticed this great personality that this woman (Ruby Prado) possesses, making sure the site or workplace is neat and tidy, well organized – a good team player and thoughtful person. Carry on! Love, Debbie. He (Ryan Nakpil) is a person whose heart makes everybody happy. A cheerful guy! Well-organized, very responsible and outgoing. Residents are so happy when he is around. Carry on and please don’t ever change your good attitude. Love, Debbie. This woman (Caroline Gaqui) is a “super-woman”. I’d say a very hard worker, responsible, accommodating, outgoing, cheerful, well-organized and makes life easier when she’s here at Nickle House. I will never forget this woman, as she is a great mentor to everybody. Carry on! Love, Debbie. Thank you (Bali Balwinder) for being a good worker at Nickle House. You’re a good team player, a caring heart and a hard-working woman. Carry on! Love, Debbie. Thank you (Susana Quijano) for being a good team player, which makes a positive change for the residents, their families, co-workers and Carewest as a whole. A caring person whom everybody never forgets. Keep it up! Love, Debbie.

And someone wrote about Debbie: Thank you for being a good mentor. She (Debbie del Rosario) is a very organized and efficient worker. A good example to follow. Thank you for making a big difference in the Nickle House family.

Carewest – where kindness is celebrated

Continued from Page 5.

It was very kind of you (Ana

Rosa Byfield) to bring back

costumes from Mexico and

sharing your culture with our staff

and residents for the 5th of May

celebration. Offering your time

and energy to this is very much

appreciated.

Katie Lindeman brings morning

coffee from Tim Hortons, leaves

lovely notes, gets sandwiches,

checks to see if I need anything,

gives hugs to many clients if they

are having a bad day and does

errands (i.e. mail, photocopying

and looks up phone numbers).

Thank you Salve Baroso for

being an amazing nurse. You

show so much love to residents

and staff. You make coming to

work a pleasure. You go above

and beyond daily. Love you!

Shaunna Samulak spent her own

time taking a resident shopping

for new clothes and learning

about her life. She also brought in

skirts for a wheelchair-bound

resident to help her look nice and

make it easier for staff to help

dress her.

Aron Lantano brought flowers

to 1 West unit on Mother’s Day to

recognize any staff that were

moms.

Kelly Clavette always shows compassion for

others! She’s taken a keen interest in relaxation

and meditation and offers sessions every Friday to

staff and managers. She goes out of her way to

remind us to be good to ourselves and to take care

of ourselves. Thank you, Kelly!

In passing one day, I mentioned to Ryan that I

occasionally enjoy a can of C Plus because it

reminds me of home and when I was younger. I

arrived to my office one afternoon to find a cold

can of C Plus left for me from Ryan. Thank you,

Ryan for your thoughtfulness!

7

Most frequently asked questions about

PARKING

Patricia Hewko Supervisor, Staff Scheduling & Ruth Zwolinski Manager, Compensation & Benefits

We have been seeing an

increase in questions

regarding parking. Here are

answers to some frequently

asked questions.

Q: Who do I contact with questions regarding parking at the sites?

A: Site reception manages parking. Please contact

your site reception.

Q: How do I set up or cancel my parking?

A: Contact your site reception to fill out the

applicable form(s), which will then be sent in to

Payroll.

Q: I have changed my site. Do I need to cancel or set up parking?

A: You should cancel your parking with your former

site and set up parking with your new site. Please do

this with site reception.

Q: I have changed my status (e.g. from casual to full-time or part-time). Do I need to do anything?

A: It is your responsibility to contact site reception if

your status changes so that they can submit changes

for parking accordingly.

Q: When is parking deducted?

A: Casual parking is deducted each

pay period, if you have worked

hours. Full- and part-time parking

is deducted monthly and is

always opposite the monthly

benefits deduction pay.

Q: I cancelled my parking on the tenth of the month and it was still deducted. Why?

A: Parking would be stopped for the first of the month

following the cancellation, as it cannot be stopped part

way through a month.

Q: I have a parking pass/tags. Do I need to display it in my car?

A: Yes, if you have a parking pass, it should be

displayed in your vehicle. For the lots that are

patrolled, this would help to avoid a ticket being

issued.

Q: If I have a 2013 sticker on my tag, will I need to get a new one next year?

A: Yes. In December, the sites that have stickers will

be administering the distribution of the upcoming

year's stickers. They also do an annual check on status

to ensure the proper deduction is set up.

Somebody complimented me on my

driving today. They left a little note on

the windscreen. It said “Parking Fine.”

That’s nice. Comedian Tommy Cooper

8

Infection Control Resource Nurse Program

Lisa Mackey Infection Control Practitioner

Infection Control Resource Nurses (ICRNs) are a valuable Infection Prevention and

Control (IP&C) resource for your site.

They can help you with:

Hand hygiene

Outbreaks

Education on how to prevent

or reduce the spread of

infections

Why is IP&C important? Here’s a sample of how our ICRNs responded to

that question…

Prevention is one of the most effective

strategies for caring and keeping staff and

residents healthy and safe.

This is of utmost importance at Carewest to

keep staff and clients protected from the

many bugs out there through education,

vaccines and sanitation awareness.

The best medicine is prevention, for the

safety of everyone in the facility. IP&C

helps provide a safe place for our residents

to live and staff to work.

Prevention of infections is the key to safety,

as it reduces costs to the provider and health

care system. Plus, the continuity of care is

enhanced when staff are healthy.

Carewest is one of the largest health care

providers with several different programs.

Daily traffic is heavy including visitors,

volunteers and day programs.

Why are you interested in IP&C? Here’s how some of our ICRNs responded to that

question…

There’s always so much to learn in

IP&C.

I’m fascinated with bugs and how

to keep them at bay.

I am able to contribute something

more to the unit, outside of my

regular duties, and to continue my

professional growth.

I like to teach others how to

prevent infections and make our

workplace safe for everyone.

I am interested in germ transmission and

how to break the chain of infection.

It may help reduce client trips to the

hospital.

I want to ensure the safety of residents and

staff through routine practice and

prevention.

Where can I find an ICRN? Contact information for the ICRN’s can be found on Careweb under the IP&C tab. Or you can contact IP&C at Southport at 403-943-8165. Did you know that there are 25 ICRNs at Carewest? See their smiling faces on Page 9.

9

Carol Anne Friesen Chris Arum Colleen Kenney Cresencia Butron Debbie Del Rosario Elieen Castillo

Emily Li Erica Lee Janet Li June Tebo Katherine Rosgen Lea Cabrales

Luz Garcia Madhu Sami Mayenne Dulce Miranda Smith Natalie Brooks Patty Borden-McRae

Rhodora Casten Robyn Maerz Sue Cui Teody Abat Urcella Gibbon Val Dumitrescu Wendy Xie

10

Respond and report/investigate Over the next six months, Carewrite will be home to a regular feature about falls – highlighting different aspects of the strategy, including input from sites already implementing Falls Review Committees to make Carewest safer for our residents and clients. This month, we focus on two steps in the process: respond and report/investigate.

When a Fall Happens Falls will happen in Carewest, despite our best efforts, because of the frailties of our

clients. While we want to reduce the number of falls, the primary focus is on

reducing injuries. When a fall happens, there are key steps to take. Here, we look at

responding and reporting/investigating.

Respond

When falls happen, our first focus is on care of the client.

1. The first staff member to see a client who has

fallen must respond to provide comfort, care and

reassurance. Then they should call for assistance

from the RNs or LPNs.

2. The staff member may use the Post-Falls

Checklist to gather information about the client

that records immediate facts leading to the fall.

3. The RN or LPN should be called to fully assess

the client before they are moved or lifted

anywhere.

4. After the injuries are assessed and vital signs are

taken, the RN/LPN will determine if the client can

be moved. Lifts should be used if the client cannot

get up on his or her own.

Report/Investigate

All falls must be reported on the Carewest Unusual

Occurrence Report.

In the next month, you will see a new UOR-Falls form that has recently been created based on feedback about the current form and need to have more detail about falls.

Carewest staff use this form for falls more than any

other type of incident so we have made a specific

form that should be quicker to fill out but still give us

good information.

The Unusual Occurrence-Falls report should be

completed within 24 hours from when the fall

happened.

Carewest is also introducing a Post-Fall Checklist that may be completed by any staff member who responds to a fall.

It is a way to quickly write down information that

might not be there if the investigation is delayed. This

includes things like water on the floor, the position the

person was in when they were found, what kind of

footwear they had on.

The Unusual Occurrence Report and the Post-Fall

Checklist will go together to the manager to help with

the investigation – the next step in the process of

response. Continued on Page 11.

11

Respond and Report/Investigate


The investigation form for falls is also changing to be

easier to complete with enough information to help

staff identify all the possible contributing factors and

action plans that could be introduced to reduce the

chance the fall will happen again.

Safety investigations are about learning. When clients

and staff are asked for facts about the fall, it is

important that everyone understand it is to learn about

the fall and hopefully prevent it from happening in the

future. The intent is to gather data and help make

decisions, not to assign blame.

Carewest uses this information to help the Falls

Review Committees when they are reviewing falls

within the site or multiple falls for one client.

They get reports from a Carewest database that helps

identify trends, graph results and create indicators to

help measure whether or not we are making a

difference and reducing falls and fall-related injury

across Carewest.

In the September issue, we will introduce some of the

fall indicators and how we use them for evaluation.

Photo courtesy of Kelly Baskerville

Joan Stregger retires Joan Stregger retired from Carewest in May after

nine years of service. She was the Director for two sites, Carewest Glenmore Park and Carewest

Sarcee, and Infection Prevention and Control. Staff at both sites hosted farewell events in her

honour. Congratulations Joan! Enjoy your retirement!

Photo courtesy of Theresa Valadka

Kindness board inspires The kindness board at Carewest Glenmore Park was developed so that staff would have some resources

available to engage them in thinking and reflecting on ways and means to be kind. It provides articles,

papers, and other written information that staff can take away and read as well as leaving space for staff

to add their own comments. Location was planned to be on the way to the staff room to give staff a

time/space to read items of interest. The board was assembled by Client Service Manager Anna Habermel

and Administrative Secretary Christine LaForge.

12

Food Services Master Menu Overview

Food Services has reviewed and refreshed its menus based on client feedback, the Canada Food Guide, AHS Healthy Eating Guidelines, AHS Menu Philosophy and the Provincial Food Safety Standards. Enhancements were made to reduce redundancy, eliminate high-cost/low-demand items, create menu items that complement each other for each meal service period and add new items to increase variety and value. In addition, processed and unhealthy out-sourced, vendor-ordered items were reduced and up to 15 new or revised recipes were brought into Commissary.

All four texture-modified, 28-day menus were updated to reflect the new master menu. In addition, 10 new therapeutic 28-day menus were created to respond to the high demand of specialized diets.

Change is on the menu at Food Services Blair Phillips Director, Human Resources & Facilities

One of the many pleasures in life is a good meal.

What actually makes it enjoyable goes far beyond the

food – it also includes the quality of the service, the

physical environment and surroundings and the meal

presentation.

Carewest prides itself on the standards we’ve been

able to achieve and the very positive feedback we

have received on the resident satisfaction surveys. The

credit for this achievement goes the Food Services

staff across Carewest.

Although we’re very pleased with our level and

quality of service, the Food Services staff continue to

strive to achieve a higher standard.

Over the past few months, a working group has been

busy reviewing, developing and implementing

changes that will help create a more pleasurable and

meaningful mealtime experience.

Employees Great service starts with great employees. To help

support the Food Services employees, the following

initiatives have already been implemented:

A new screening process in recruitment to

ensure we continue to hire the best.

A specially designed full-day of orientation

exclusively for Food Services staff.

New employee uniforms.


Food Services Numbers

250+ dedicated Food Services staff

12 site kitchens and one commissary

1.5 million meals served per year

Up to 870 diets and combinations

Over 550 raw ingredients

Over 615 recipes

13

Change is on the menu at Food Services Continued from Page 12.

Master menu Ensuring a high quality and standard for the meals

involves many aspects but it always starts with the

integrity of the master menu. Some of the initiatives

underway include:

The redevelopment and updating of the 28-day

master menu. This included the review and

updating of all recipes by the Clinical

Dietitians and Food Services Managers.

Improving and updating the nutritional

information in real-time.

Improving the inventory management systems

and working with our vendors to ensure we

have the products we need at the right time

and place.

“It’s been a great project to learn about all the opportunities of how we can enhance the quality and service and also appreciate the size and complexity of Food Services at Carewest,” says Maegan Spezowka, Team Leader, Commissary.

Equipment It’s important that Food Services has the right tools

and equipment to do the job:

Carewest has made significant investments in

new equipment to produce meals on-site and

ensure freshness and nutritional standards are

met.

In many of the sites, new dishwashers have

been installed in the dining rooms, making the

job that much easier for Food Services staff

and reducing the demands placed on the

elevators by minimizing the transportation of

the dishes back and forth to the kitchen.

A new preventative maintenance equipment

program has been established, ensuring

reliability and minimal down time for the

equipment.

A new data management system has been

developed to support the ordering systems,

financial tracking, inventory levels, special

diets, etc. This new data management system

will allow Food Services staff to efficiently

carry out the administrative work that is

required.

Dining environment Food Services knows that creating a pleasant dining

environment is important. First impressions count!

One of Carewest’s priorities is maintaining a

clean and safe environment. We have

dedicated painters on staff who have been

busy repairing walls and putting fresh coats of

paint on them.

Work is also underway to put some new

pictures and graphics on the walls so the

dining areas are an inviting place to come and

enjoy a meal.

Morgan Burgess, Senior Manager, Food Services &

Commissary, explains that he is extremely proud of

the Food Services team for what has been

accomplished in such a short time.

“It’s remarkable what can be accomplished when we have a common goal and the ambition to achieve it, however we are only just beginning.”

Morgan explains, there are many more projects

underway such as a new quality management

initiative, vendor management/relations etc.

Menu planning and the development of recipes should

always be a ‘work in progress’ to ensure Carewest is

responsive to the needs of our residents and that we

take advantage of the seasonal trends in fresh foods.

It’s an exciting time for Carewest to realize the

potential we have and to be able to build upon the

successes we have achieved to date.

Of particular note, I would like to extend a special

thanks to Morgan Burgess, Maegan Spezowka and

Carly Bauer who have committed endless hours of

work to help develop and support the development of

the administrative systems that are so critical to our

success.

14

Fanning Fashion Show Collage Submitted by Denise Zugic

Bird feeder or deer feeder? This little deer caused quite a stir at Carewest Royal Park. She made herself at home, eating out of the bird feeders and planters, and then she rested under one of our trees for the afternoon. The residents loved watching a little bit of nature in their own backyard.

Picture courtesy of Janet Thain

Manager expresses appreciation for staff at Carewest Rouleau Manor

Hello all staff at Rouleau Manor, I want to use the Staff Appreciation Week as an extra opportunity to express my heartfelt thank you for all your hard work and dedication to the care of our 77 residents, their families and each other. We have worked alongside each other and supported each other through the establishment and growth of Carewest Rouleau Manor. We have accomplished a lot in the past year-and-a-half. I believe we have the potential to achieve even more because we have created a positive culture with a team that truly honours the values of honesty, integrity, hard work and team support. It is truly a pleasure and honour working with all of you. I am looking forward to even more successful adventures together. Thank you!! Ching Luo Client Service Manager Carewest Rouleau Manor

15

Carewest employees and volunteers make up

a vibrant community with diverse talents and

dreams. This month, we profile Marcela

Tongpalen, Health Care Aide at Carewest Dr.

Vernon Fanning.


E M P L O Y E E P R O F I L E Marcela Tongpalen

A little ray of sunshine on a rainy day, Marcela

Tongpalen, Carewest Health Care Aide at Carewest

Dr. Vernon Fanning, enters the room smile first.

You would never guess the 63-year-old single mother

lived a life of hardship and struggle and that her

visible strength and positive energy at work dissolves

into tears and prayer at home.

Marcela has much to pray for. Her daughter, who

currently lives in the Philippines, cares for Marcela’s

aging parents. She hasn’t seen her daughter in 22

years.

She has been through two divorces and the loss of

one of her adopted children. But Marcela finally has

a reason to smile again.

Her sister and her daughter will be joining her in

Calgary to pursue their futures in Canada.

“I’m excited to have my family come here – we have

a lot of jobs here. They will live with me and maybe

we’ll buy a duplex for my sister’s privacy and my

privacy. Every day I talk to them,” says Marcela.

“It’s been a long time since I saw my daughter –

1991. Can you believe it? It’s been a sacrifice. It’s a

tough situation. We have to be strong – that’s the way

life goes. It made me very, very strong. I laugh, I

smile, I go home and cry and pray and then I can go

to sleep with a clear mind.”

Born in the Philippines in 1951, Marcela’s family

worked hard to ensure she had an education and she

studied commerce, majoring in banking and finance.

Finding work was difficult however and she set out

when she was 28 years old to find work in Hong

Kong.

There, she worked for two families – one French and

the other Chinese – looking after their children. After

eight years in Hong Kong, Marcela decide to make

the leap across the pond and move to Toronto, where

her aunt was living. Continued on Page 16.


16

Photo courtesy of Tracey Vigneault

Cup of tea and good company Carewest George Boyack enjoys a special

relationship with the Elderly Chinese Citizens’ Association of Calgary. Their volunteers regularly

visit our Chinese residents and recently they invited them to a private tea and concert, pictured above.

Volunteer Profile: Marcela Tongpalen


Working as a nanny, Marcela began taking Medical

Laboratory courses at Career Canada College in

Toronto. During this time, she met a man, fell in love

and married him.

“After he graduated from school, the company called

him to Calgary and I was forced to follow him. I

came here and I applied and was hired in Rockyview

Hospital. That was the start of my hardship,” says

Marcela.

“When I was working there it was too much to me –

it was too complicated. The relationship with my

husband was really breaking down – it was too much

to bear. My husband told me he wanted to have a

family but I couldn’t. I told him I hoped he could find

a woman who could. He helped me pack my things.”

Marcela responded to an ad in the paper for a private

care nurse and was hired for the position. She worked

for a woman for six years before the woman died and

then found herself alone again with no car and no

house to call her own.

With a bonus she received for her service as a private

caregiver and a little help from her ex-husband,

Marcela bought her first place – a townhouse in

northeast Calgary.

At that time, she was working at Forest Grove – once

a Carewest-operated facility. Unsure of what to do

with her life, Marcela considered moving back to

Toronto to be with her sister but a phone call in 2003

altered her plans.

“I decided to apply for Carewest because I liked this

job at Forest Grove. It was 2003, I was divorced and I

had nothing and I had to have a job to keep my house

and I decided Carewest is the best company in town.

After two days they called me so I stayed in

Calgary,” says Marcela.

“I really love this job at Carewest because it is very flexible with my other jobs that support me. I am so grateful. Michela (Smith) did everything she could to support me. Bev (Forbes) in 3 West is very good. Maxine (Johnston) really supports me when I am down – they give me my support. My work is my family, my social, my love.”

Originally hired on 3 West, Marcela just made the

move to 1 West in October 2012 for a bit of a change.

She loves working with the young adult population

because she says they keep her on her toes.

“They are interesting people – very complex

characters. I don’t expect them to adjust themselves –

I have to be a step ahead of them. My coworkers are

fabulous – they’re good. They guide me and I need

that. I enjoy my job here.”

In Marcela’s spare time, she goes to church, prays

and meditates, and enjoys camping, bowling seeing

movies and going for walks.

But what she is looking forward to the most is seeing

her family after so many years.

“I have to see my parents alive. You have to have

money before you go but I’m planning to next year,”

she says.

“My daughter – I owe her a lot – she takes care of my

parents. She took care of everything when my brother

died. But she has to come here so she can work for

herself and her future. One of our close relatives will

take over caring for my parents.”

17


Although multiple sclerosis has greatly limited

what her body can do, not even the sky poses

limits on the mind of Carewest Garrison Green

resident Nashira Keshavjee.

The 50-year-old native of Capetown, Africa has

been an intellectual person her entire life and

never allowed her illness to stifle her mental

capacity.

Diagnosed at the age of 18, Nashira managed to

obtain two degrees in English and had begun her

PhD when symptoms of the disease pushed her to

change her plans of becoming an English

professor and writer.

“My family is also very education-oriented and, as

you can imagine, most intellectuals have a very

rich fantasy life. I think a lot. I have a great

imagination,” says Nashira.

“With all the people coming in to visit me, I listen to all their tales. I’ve learned to be a very good listener and I never knew how much there is to learn just from listening. I really have discovered that you shouldn’t ever feel sorry for yourself. Because I think self pity can limit your imagination big time.”

Only a great imagination could fathom some of

the stories Nashira tells about her colourful life,

starting with her move to Calgary when she was

10 years old so her father, who worked with an

Italian airline, could fly direct to Rome, as he

often had to, and avoid the round-about, multiple-

stop trip to the city from South Africa.

Adjusting to life in Canada with her two brothers

was a breeze and Nashira graduated from James

Fowler High School with the aspirations to attend

McGill University in Montreal to study English.

“Montreal, Toronto, Quebec City, Ottawa – they

all seemed so alive. I thought, ‘This is real life,’”

says Nashira.

Nashira came across an ad in the school paper,

looking for an editor for a publication from the

Faculty of Computer Science and figured it would

be a good way to make some extra money.


OUR RESIDENTS’ STORIES With a keen intellect, Nashira Keshavjee enjoys a rich life


18

With a keen intellect, Nashira Keshavjee enjoys a rich life Continued from Page 17.

Little did she know that accepting that position

would change the course of her entire life.

Her boss was a professor of Computer Science and

the two became fast friends.

“We had to sneak around a little bit and he would

come to the residence where I lived to visit and

sometimes he stayed over. The person doing the

rounds at the residence knocked on my door at

11:30 p.m. and said, ‘You know, it’s okay if you

have a man here but he should take these boots

inside, or else I have to record that you have a man

in there,’” says Nashira.

“He was educated in England so he’s very proper

and he would take his boots off outside my door

before coming into the room. At the time, it was

so nerve wracking but now it seems so funny. I

had no idea one day we would be parents.”

The two were eventually married and had two

sons, who are now 15 and 20.

As her sons were growing up, the family moved to

New Zealand, where Nashira lived on a sheep

farm for three years while her husband and sons

lived in the city.

They were in the middle of a divorce and today

remain good friends – a relationship that isn’t

diminished by the physical distance between them.

Nashira’s ex-husband lives in Ontario with her

boys.

“I seem them often. I had a very amicable divorce

with my ex-husband and we’re very good friends.

We try to work visits around the school holidays,

so I see my kids twice a year,” says Nashira.

Nashira moved back to Calgary to be closer to

family as she struggled to manage the symptoms

of MS, and moved into Cedars Villa – a

continuing care home.

There, she was introduced by a friend to another

resident – a man 24 years her senior – and who

sustained injuries to his head during his career as

an amateur boxer. The pair hit it off and became

inseparable.

“I was married to a professor and now I’m dating

a boxer – this is totally surreal. He was an amateur

boxer and eventually coached boxing after that.

He is 24 years older than me so you can imagine

this was a huge shock to my parents,” says

Nashira.

“My parents are obviously protective over their

only daughter. And my ex-husband is very much

loved by my parents. It’s a huge drama.”

Now a resident at Garrison Green, Nashira’s

boyfriend visits her almost every day except for

Wednesdays, when she attends a course at the

University of Calgary on nutrition and

rehabilitation.

She sees her younger brother and his family every

Monday and her parents every other day and looks

forward to Sundays when her father comes to read

to her.

“I feel very fortunate because I had a pretty long run before I saw any symptoms and I thought, well at least I got to do almost three degrees,” says Nashira.

“Because I was the only girl in a family of boys, I

never shared a room for most of my life and I

couldn’t handle the double rooms. Here, I have a

private room and my boyfriend visits every day. I

have a large family. My parents and a lot of my

aunts, uncles and cousins come by all the time. I

like it here quite a bit.”

19

Animals Bright Flowers

Foilage Fragrant Garden

Holidays Insects Landscaping

Nature Summer Sunshine

Temperature Vacation Warm

Weather

Coffee Break Sources: www.armouredpenguin.com & www.sudokuessentials.com

Word search Summer

Samara Sinclair, Manager, Communications

Sudoku Level: Medium

How to play Sudoku Fill in the game board so that every row and column

of numbers contains all digits 1 through 9 in any order. Every 3 x 3 square of the puzzle must include

all digits 1 through 9.

http://www.sudokuessentials.com/

20

Photo courtesy of Aubree McIntyre

Art display in library celebrates Seniors’ Month In celebration of Seniors’ Month this June,

clients from Carewest Garrison Green who live on the third and fourth floors had the

opportunity to showcase some of their art work at the Southwood Public Library. Their

paintings will stay up for the full month so the community can enjoy them, along with

paintings from other facilities.

Seniors’ Month is a great time for seniors to celebrate their lives and the many ways they

make our province a better place to live. They have worked hard and continue to contribute

much to the prosperity we all enjoy today. Celebrating Seniors’ Month has become a

collective way of giving back to them.


Lighthearted exercise The importance of having fun while exercising cannot be

understated and that concept seems to be well-understood by clients at Carewest C3 Beddington, as they

use a parachute to play a ball game. Client Joyce Hall, second from left, is as determined as her peers to bounce

the ball over the side belonging to the other team.

A little Father’s Day shimmy

Dancers from Shimmy Dance Productions entertained guests at the Carewest Dr. Vernon Fanning Father’s Day event. Residents and their families celebrated with nachos, wings and beer.


photo by samara sinclair proud as a...

Documents